Monarch Airlines

[thunderchild]

Odd that Stockholm doesn't appear to be continuing into winter. Another one season wonder for them perhaps? I haven't looked at the timetables but does it stop during the high summer like SAS did when Sweden virtually shuts down?

 

[Jon Dempsey]

"I think Monarch have a bright future at BHX and the next 2-3 years could prove very interesting for them "

Hopefully Ray. When I'm booking a flight from Birmingham, their's is the first website I turn to.

They filled the gap when MyTravelLite stopped the Malaga flights and I've always looked first to their product when travelling elsewhere.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Without saying too much at this point, from what I've heard Monarch have interesting plans for the future, ones that could potentially be very beneficial for Birmingham. The one thing hanging over it all is of course what is happening/will happen at board level. Talks are ongoing but only those involved will know where they are at. I see no reason why there shouldn't be a positive outcome though.

I haven't looked at the timetables but does it stop during the high summer like SAS did when Sweden virtually shuts down?

Stockholm runs for the full summer season until October 29th.

 

[User001]

Monarch have added Porto from Birmingham next summer.

 

[nwoody2001]

Great to see, indeed they have, 3x weekly from April, which goes alongside RYR 2x weekly!

I suppose the question as always with Monarch, is this growth or has something else bitten the dust?!

Thanks User

 

[Daza]

Great news! Porto is a lovely city.
Daza

 

[nwoody2001]

Lord, BHX has been on the ball with this one ....

https://www.birminghamairport.co.uk...r-2017-from-birmingham-airport/#5851275d05144

 

[Ray Finkle]

Excellent stuff, I had a slight worry that Monarch were starting to forget about us.

I've only has a quick look but it doesn't appear is if anything is lost. Tuesday and Sunday afternoons only had 8 departures so I'm assuming that Porto will utilise the 9th. On Friday I think Venice moves to an earlier departure now getting back to Birmingham at 11:35, Nice then moves from 15:55 to 12:35 getting back at 17:45 meaning Porto then departs at 18:50.

 

[nwoody2001]

...then that's good new indeed... I suppose with the removal of longer sectors to the likes of Turley, Egypt and Tunisia allows the same number of planes to provide more flights on shorter sectors?! Better aircraft utilization???

 

[jfy1999]

I thought I would post the full schedule for anyone interested as per usual. Another route that's been unserved for a long time and then bam bam, suddenly airlines are competing!

Anyway

Tue
BHX 14:45 OPO 17:20
OPO 18:10 BHX 20:30
Fri
BHX 18:50 OPO 21:25
OPO 22:15 BHX 00:35
Sun
BHX 16:25 OPO 19:00
OPO 19:50 BHX 22:10

 

[Ray Finkle]

Anybody ever been to Porto? Just wondering what it is like?

The fares are very good at the moment and I'm extremely tempted.

Just trying to find some accommodation.

 

[Jon Dempsey]

Anybody ever been to Porto? Just wondering what it is like?

The fares are very good at the moment and I'm extremely tempted.

Just trying to find some accommodation.

Went there a long time ago Ray.

I loved the place, although after enjoying Lisbon, it can seem a tad "industrial".

One image I carry with me is that of a Sandemans barge, fully laden, sailing down the Douro, just like in a very old TV advert.

 

[Butty]

Excellent news. good wine region.

Re: excellent debate on routes and rumours page, I think monarch are a good long term growth partner for us. been quiet whilst they sort themselves out but they have stuck their neck out a bit with Stockholm and Porto, so maybe they will take the risk elsewhere and they are looking at good b2b destinations not just the package bucket and spade routes which they can leave to others. prospects look good.

 

[nwoody2001]

Well it's been said that BHX is due to be the first base to be completely upgraded from A320/321 to their 737Max ...so hopefully that's a positive sign of commitment

 

[thunderchild]

RE Porto - I posted this in the Ryanair thread when they announced Porto a week after MON first announced the route from MAN and LTN. Was I right all along and they've changed their minds again? It's a funny old business isn't it?

Great to see Porto back on the boards. I could be wrong but I wonder if MON had been planning on launching Porto from BHX along with LTN and MAN? Given their strategy at BHX these days is retaliation against other carriers it seems a coincidence that Ryanair have announced this just a week later. Perhaps MON heard FR were going to fight back and had second thoughts? Not that it really matters.

 

[Ray Finkle]

Looking at the seat maps Porto appears to be an A320 on Tuesdays and an A321 on Fridays and Sundays.

Obviously Monarch can rotate their aircraft accordingly so this may well change.

 

[DaveBham]

Porto is a lovely city. Went there a couple of times when working on the Cruise ships. You have the old town on the higher level, and then the river level. Lots of history, wine, and of course, Port! Personally I prefer it to Lisbon.

 

[Ray Finkle]

so maybe they will take the risk elsewhere and they are looking at good b2b destinations not just the package bucket and spade routes which they can leave to others

I think they could do very well. With the exception of Innsbruck their new routes have been Madrid, Lisbon, Porto and Stockholm which indicate a potential move away from the usual sun destinations.

Birmingham has 7x A321's and 2x A320's which all have a pretty full schedule (hence the Fri Porto being an awful time). The A321 may just be a little too large for some city routes and the A320 schedule has very little slack, maybe when the 737's come along they will be the perfect fit for a little more?

Porto is a lovely city. Went there a couple of times when working on the Cruise ships. You have the old town on the higher level, and then the river level. Lots of history, wine, and of course, Port! Personally I prefer it to Lisbon.

I'm sold.

Will book some seats later

 

[Daza]

Monarch are certainly moving away from bucket and spade routes. Ray having been to Innsbruck summer and winter it's not only access to lakes/skiing but Innsbruck is also a lovely city to visit in its own right.
I'm not complaining about additional OPO service but added to FR twice weekly OPO I would have thought Lisbon would support more flights than Portugals 2nd city. I would love to see BHX-VIE at some point.
Daza

 

[Ray Finkle]

Flights to Porto now booked, looking forward to it

Monarch with pre booked seats and one bag came in £150 cheaper than Ryanair seat only